NEO leads NJCAA team race after day one, Clackamas sends six to the semifinals

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa – After day one of the NJCAA Junior College National Wrestling Championships, Northeast Oklahoma leads the team race with 93 points, just two points ahead of second-place Iowa Central (91).

NEO, the reigning team champions, holds the two-point advantage with three wrestlers in the semifinals, while Iowa Central has a chance to catch the Golden Norsemen, sending five to the semis, including 2016 runner-up Zak Hensley (133).

Clackamas ended the day with 83.5 points, putting six in the semis. Among them is Haszell West, who finished third at 184 pounds in 2016.

NEO, Iowa Central and Clackamas have separated themselves from the pack, while Lincoln and Ellsworth round out the top-five teams with 59 points and 54.5 points, respectively.

Returning NJCAA champion Dymere Rappa of Camden is still in the hunt in the championship bracket at 197 pounds as is 2016 runner-up at 125 pounds, Cole Verner of Western Wyoming.

Rappa is set to face 2016 third-place finisher Christian Dulaney of Iowa Lakes in tomorrow’s semifinals.

2016 All-Americans Alex Kelly (184) of Niagara and Blake Walker (133) of Ellsworth were knocked out of the tournament in day-one action. All other returning AAs are still in alive.

The semifinals will begin at 10:30 a.m. CT on Saturday.

Fans can follow the results of this year’s tournament on arena.flowrestling.org. The championship finals on Saturday will be live streamed at 7:00 p.m. CT on Flowrestling.

NATIONAL JUNIOR COLLEGE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

At Council Bluffs, Iowa

Semifinals pairings

125 lbs.
David Campbell (Clackamas) vs. Justin Folley (Ellsworth)
Cole Verner (Western Wyoming) vs. Todd Small (Iowa Central)

133 lbs.
Zak Hensley (Iowa Central) vs. Nathan Johnson (Clackamas)
George Farmah (Iowa Lakes) vs. Sean DeShazer (Northeast Oklahoma)

141 lbs.
Andrew Ramirez (Highline) vs. Austin Anderly (NIACC)
Nick Casella (Nassau) vs. DeAndre Reed (Iowa Central)

149 lbs.
Josh Reyes (Clackamas) vs. Nate Skonieczny (Jamestown)
Dylan Lucas (Northeast Oklahoma) vs. Coltan Laganiere (Rochester)

157 lbs.
Danny Conley (Labette) vs. Dayton Racer (Iowa Central)
Brett Bradford (Rochester) vs. Anthony Curtis (Northeastern)

165 lbs.
Dillon Ulrey (Clackamas) vs. Trey Meyer (North Idaho)
Lucius Van Rensburg (Southwestern Oregon) vs. Wyatt Jordan (Northeast Oklahoma)

174 lbs.
Colt Doyle (Clackamas) vs. Michael Morris (Camden County)
Adrian Lyons-Lopez (Southwestern Oregon) vs. Jordan Gundrum (Ellsworth)

184 lbs.
Logan Hagerbaumer (Lincoln) vs. Preston Lauterbach (Iowa Western)
Daishi Goto (Camden County) vs.  Haszell West (Clackamas)

197 lbs.
Timothy Young (Ellsworth) vs. Wyatt Westfall (Southwestern Oregon)
Christian Dulaney (Iowa Lakes) vs. Dymere Rappa (Camden County)

285 lbs.
Mario Pena (NIACC) vs. Odgerek Batkhishig (Northwest Kansas)
Thomas Petersen (Iowa Central) vs. Lisiate Anau (Northwest)

Day 1 team scores (top 20)
1. Northeast Oklahoma 93          
2. Iowa Central  - 91        
3. Clackamas - 83.5         
4. Lincoln - 59    
5. Ellsworth - 54.5            
6. NIACC - 52.5 
7. Camden County - 51 
8. Iowa Western - 48     
9. Iowa Lakes - 46            
10. Southwestern Oregon - 45  
11. Rochester - 43.5       
12. Northwest - 43          
13. Western Wyoming - 38          
14. North Idaho - 35       
15. Labette - 30.5            
16. Nassau - 29 
17. Northwest Kansas - 22.5       
18. Highline - 22
19. Niagara County - 20.5             
20. Harper - 17